Taiwanese performer Shara Lin is gaining fame as her video goes viral worldwide. She is no ordinary girl – she is a one girl band, playing violin, zither and piano.

Shara Lin Yixin-Taiwanese-one-girl-band

Her musical multi-tasking is on YouTube in a training video of her performing Taiwanese artist Jolin Tsai’s song “Dancing Diva” that has garnered almost 5 million views on YouTube since it was uploaded on May 3.

Lin, a 25-year-old actress who has a music degree, put the performance together within five days for a blend of classical and Taiwanese pop music that has her tucking the violin under her chin and stretching out as needed to both piano and zither.

Shara Lin

"I think the toughest part is to play the piano and the zither simultaneously. We tried many times to figure out this position for my left hand to play the piano, and right hand to play the zither," Lin said.

"When I have to look at both the piano and the zither, I really wished my eyes could grow wider apart. If I have to play (them) together, I must play by feel."

Lin started to play the piano at age three. Her interest in music soon expanded into other instruments including the violin, zither, guitar, jazz drums and harmonica.

Lin said she is willing to try other creative performances in the wake of her YouTube success.

"After people saw this video, they suggested that I can play the drum with my foot and also add the harmonica," she said.

"I said okay, I will consider that."

Because of her fame, she has been featured in news reports from around the world and has also created a huge buzz online.

Someone should inform the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia about this new tourism ambassador for Malaysia. This ambassador goes by the name of Rosalinda…..and she has a “Welcome to Malaysia” music video on YouTube that is starting to go viral.

Rosalinda in Welcome to Malaysia

Teen singer Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ was badly panned and because of the huge publicity online, it became a massive viral hit. I personally think Rebecca Black is okay but if you think she is bad, then wait till you watch this video by Rosalinda.

I think a better title for Rosalinda’s video would be “Don’t Come To Malaysia.” Netizens have commented that this is a good example of how to chase away tourists from Malaysia.

In the video, Rosalinda prances around and sings in nearly unintelligible English, replete with cheesy video effects.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) recently rolled out its new “Strong is Beautiful” advertising campaign, focusing on the personal stories, pressures and dreams of WTA stars to illustrate that being physically and mentally strong is beautiful.

WTA's "Strong Is Beautiful" campaign

The campaign highlights “athleticism and grace — a unique combination that has turned the stars of the WTA into the most recognizable and followed female athletes on the planet,” according to a WTA statement.

The ads, which feature dozens of stars including Wozniacki, Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters, Ana Ivanovic and Li Na, were shot by filmmaker Dewey Nicks, who produced a similar series for The New York Times Magazine last year.

Sugar and Spice, the first in the “Strong is Beautiful” series, focuses on all of the characteristics necessary to become a successful professional tennis player. World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki described the video this way: “It takes so many elements to reach the top of such a competitive sport as tennis – strength of character, discipline, and will power. All of these things define who we are as people and as athletes. For me the new campaign is able to capture the inner strength of players in a beautiful way.”

Shot by famed Los Angeles photographer and filmmaker Dewey Nicks, the stunning imagery portrays the players in a unique way with an ultimate focus on their inner strength. The players featured in this clip are Sam Stosur, Ana Ivanovic, Li Na, Caroline Wozniacki, Vera Zvonareva, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka & Kim Clijsters.

Each 30-second shot in the series features a star tennis player delivering not just a ball but also a voice-over storyline.

In her clip, Kim Clijsters, whose pregnancy and brief retirement from tennis several years ago generated considerable buzz, rejects the idea she had to compromise now that she is a mother.

"Before I had a baby, I devoted all my time to tennis," she says as she returns a forehand crouched in a near split. Afterwards, I had to compromise. Now I devote 100 percent of my time to the baby--and 100 percent to tennis."

Li Na, who recently became the first Asian player to reach the finals in the Australian Open, speaks about the feeling of playing for a nation with 1.3 billion people that has never had a No. 1 ranked player or Grand Slam winner. “No pressure,” she says at the end of the video as the follow-through of a backhand carries both her and her slinky white dress into the air.

Like numerous other players, Serbia's Ana Ivanovic has had to overcome hardships, growing up in war-torn Serbia. Growing up in war-torn Belgrade made tennis practice difficult but it didn't deter her from striving to be the best.

Serena Williams’ ubiquitous self confidence comes through while assuring the viewer that the only reason she brings seven tennis outfits to each Grand Slam is because she intends on wearing them all, for each match she plans on winning.

Victoria Azarenka is known for her power game, using every inch of her body to crush the ball. However, it's not physical strength alone that has propelled the Belarusian up the rankings, but mental prowess too.

Song, 30, was found unconscious and bleeding by a janitor of the building and was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Song hit the media spotlight on May 7 when a posting on her Tweeter, implying her intention to commit suicide, prompted police officers and 119 emergency workers to rush to her residence. In a later posting, she denied writing the first posting, although admitting that she contemplated killing herself over personal issues.

Song had been ensnared in a love scandal with professional baseball player Im Tae Hoon, for which she was suspended temporarily from the announcer’s role on a daily baseball program on MBC Sports Plus. MBC Sports Plus was scheduled to announce punishment measures against her regarding the scandal yesterday afternoon.

In a recent interview with a local media outlet, Song admitted that she had been dating the 23-year-old pitcher for the Seoul-based Doosan Bears, for one and a half years. However, the Doosan Bears claimed the love affair between Im and Song was not true and that Im Tae Hoon just wanted to be fully devoted to baseball. Im, demoted to the Bears’ minor league team after the scandal made tabloid headlines, returned to his original position on the Bears yesterday.

The hurt and feelings of humiliation arising from the scandal may have deeply depressed Song, triggering her suicide.

After Song’s death, the internet has been abuzz with postings criticizing Im Tae Hoon and holding him responsible for Song’s death.

Im Tae Hoon

On the 7th of this month, Song had written, “If you cannot take me to you, please at least give me strength. My heart is in such pain, I am already on my third sleeping pill.”

Her last post written on the 21st of this month read, “I am steering clear of the internet lately. My words… I am so sorry. I’m not that good with computers so I don’t know how to delete my account. I’d first like to tweet my apology. I’m so sorry, but really, my Cyworld isn’t the truth. I’ll reveal the truth soon.”

Another life has ended so tragically. …… our society has once again pushed another pretty Korean woman off a cliff.

While doing window shopping at Imperial Mall in Miri today, I came across these “internet-themed” flippers at one of the shops there. I saw Google flippers, Facebook flippers, Yahoo flippers, Twitter flippers and YouTube flippers.Obviously these are marketed without the permission of all these online iconic companies. But what the heck! Go get yourself a pair now!

Prince William and Kate Middleton flew home on Friday from their Seychelles honeymoon after being presented with the world’s most erotic fruit – the Coco de Mer.

A boy carrying a Coco de Mer nut...note how large is the nut!

The fruit – which can weigh up to 30kg and grow to 40-50 cm in diameter – was given to the royal couple by Foreign Minister Jean-Paul Adam on behalf of Seychelles President James Michel at a special ceremony on Mahé, the main island, as the couple ended their luxury 10-day stay on the island. They were granted a special licence to bring the world’s rarest fruit home.

There is bound to be a huge spike in interest in this fruit given the publicity surrounding Wills and Kate.

The “love nut” – which bears a striking resemblance to a pair of female buttocks – only grows in the Vallée de Mai nature reserve on Praslin ­Island.

It is regarded in the Seychelles as a powerful aphrodisiac and revered as a fertility symbol. Such is its value that an auction website has set minimum bids for a 19th Century Coco de Mer at Ł300.

Sailors found its empty husks floating in Asian waters for thousands of years, but no one knew where the Coco de Mer came from. Superstitious crews saw what they described as a woman’s rear end floating under the waves, and imagined that it grew on underwater trees or marked the presence of sea nymphs.

For centuries these unique coconuts washed ashore on the beaches of India, Maldives and Sri Lanka. The suggestive shape of the world’s largest plant seed made it famous, and they were sold the world over as a symbol of fertility. They were often expensively decorated with gems, gold and silver becoming the prized possession of kings and rulers.

An entire cult revolved around the empty shells in India, where they frequently washed up on shore. They were used as ritualistic water vessels by priests and Hindu holy men still use them for begging bowls.

In tantra it’s revered as Yoni, a symbol of creation and fertility. Some say the dried kernel can be used as an aphrodisiac or as a kind of natural Viagra.

The tree grows to 25–34 m tall. The leaves are fan-shaped, 7–10 m long and 4.5 m wide with a 4 m petiole. It is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. The fruit is sometimes also referred to as the Sea Coconut, Bum Seed, Love Nut, the butt nut, double coconut, the pubic fruit, coco fesse, or Seychelles Nut.

Coco de Mer tree

The seed of the Coco de Mer is the largest in the plant kingdom. This makes it too heavy to float and too large to be carried off by smaller animals.

It takes 6-7 years for a fruit to mature and a further two years for it to germinate into a new plant. Only 1,769 fruits reach maturity each year, and given that a hundred thousand tourists visit the Seychelles yearly, there aren’t enough to go around.

After a 1990 forest fire and years of development, there are only 24,457 coco de mer palms left on Praslin and Curieuse, half are male, and two-thirds are too young to bear fruit.

The sale of the fruits-though not the empty shells- is strictly prohibited by law, with the punishment of two years in prison and a $800 fine for those that try.

The shells of the fruit are life-sized simulations of the female reproductive regions, including hips, stomach, thighs, pubis, and even a tuft of hair right where you’d expect it to be. The back resembles nothing more than a shapely rear end.

CoCo de Mer

The tree’s woody female flowers are the size and shape of a woman’s breasts, with an ovule right where you’d expect to find a nipple.

The male flower are catkin-like that can grow up to 1 m and looks essentially like a giant erection-sporting penis.

CoCo de Mer male flower...doesn't it look like a male genital?

Under the salacious husk lies a custard-like flesh that only a lucky few get to taste.

The few people that get to taste them usually describe a sweet earthy taste with a hint of citrus. Some even say it tastes like breast milk!

“The Fruit Hunters,” author Adam Leith Gollner said coco de mer has a “mild citrus-like quality, refreshing and sweet with earthy, spunky notes. It tastes like coconut flesh, only sexier.”

How I would love to taste the forbidden fruit Coco de Mer. And it is a damn sexy one to boot.

Coco de Mer nut and Coco de Mer male...what a freak of nature!

Oh gosh! Mother Nature must be teasing us. Look at the nut again…need I say more?

Afflicted with visual impairment for over three decades, 35-year-old Zhang Yuxia makes a living as a street singer/pianist at Tamsui, Taiwan. For the past four years, she has established a fan base of considerable size in the locality.

Zhang Yuxia

If you just listen to her songs without seeing her, you will immediately think you are listening to Teresa Teng . Their voices sound so alike! There has been comments that the warm and crystalline voice that God bestow upon Zhang is to make up for her loss of sight.

Listen now to Zhang sing “The Moon Represents My Heart” and then listen to Teresa Teng singing the same song. You will be amazed!

Teresa Teng (Dčng Lěj?n aka Teng Li-chun aka T?ng L?-kun), born on January 29 1953, was an immensely popular and influential Chinese pop singer from Taiwan. Teresa Teng’s voice and songs are instantly recognized throughout East Asia and in areas with large Asian populations.

Teresa Teng

It is often said, “Wherever there are Chinese people, the songs of Teresa Teng can be heard.” Her songs also enjoy popularity among Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Indonesian listeners. Even Deng Xiaoping, Communist China’s second most powerful leader after Mao, was a loyal fan of Teng.

Teng was known for her folk songs and romantic ballads. Many became standards in her lifetime, such as “When Will You Return?” and “The Moon Represents My Heart” ( Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin). She recorded songs not only in her native Mandarin but also in Taiwanese, Cantonese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and English.

Teng, a lifelong sufferer from asthma, died on May 8 1995 from a severe respiratory attack while vacationing in Thailand. She was 42. She was given state honors at her funeral in Taiwan, with the flag of the Republic of China draped over her casket and then president Lee Teng-hui in attendance among thousands in mourning.

She was buried in a mountainside tomb at Chin Pao San, a cemetery in Jinshan, Taipei County (now New Taipei City) in northern Taiwan. The grave site features a statue of Teng and a large electronic piano keyboard set in the ground that can be played by visitors who step on the keys. The memorial has become a tourist attraction for her fans.

US professional wrestling legend “Macho Man” Randy Savage, 58, died after a car crash on Friday near his home in Seminole, Florida.

Macho Man Randy Savage

The flamboyant former champion — known for his husky voice, gaudy costumes and “oooh, yeah!” catch phrase — appeared to have suffered a heart attack behind the wheel, leading to him losing control of his 2009 Jeep Wrangler at 9:25 a.m. local time.

The Jeep careened over a concrete median into oncoming traffic lanes before crashing head-on into a tree. Randy was rushed to the Largo Medical centre in Tampa, Florida but later succumbed to injuries sustained in the impact.

The wrestler, whose full name was Randy Mario Poffo, and his wife Lynn Payne, who was a passenger in the car, were both wearing seat belts. Lynn was hospitalized with minor injuries. The couple had just been celebrating their first anniversary.

Randy Savage and Lynn Payne at their wedding

Tributes quickly poured in from WWE and the WWE icon’s peers and fans after news broke on the American website TMZ.

“WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of one of the greatest Superstars of his time,” read a statement posted on the WWE site on Friday. “Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. We wish a speedy recovery to his wife Lynn. Poffo will be greatly missed by WWE and his fans.”

TNA also paid tribute, putting a message on the website saying: “TNA hopes all of our fans remember Randy Savage’s amazing life and career and how he helped shape the sport as we know it today.”

Once a minor league baseball player, Savage became a big part of Vince McMahon’s WWE expansion alongside stars including Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant and Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. Under contract with the World Wrestling Federation from 1985 to 1993, he shot to fame as “Macho Man”, competing against fellow stars including Hulk Hogan, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and Jake “The Snake” Roberts. His entrance music was “Pomp and Circumstance” and his signature accessories were sunglasses, bandannas and colorful cowboy hats.

Colorful Randy Savage

After a run as Intercontinental Champion, Savage took the next step one year later – winning a 14-man tournament at WrestleMania IV to lift the WWE World Championship. On that one show, he defeated Butch Reed, Greg Valentine, One Man Gang and DiBiase.

At the time he was managed by real-life wife Elizabeth and teaming with Hulk Hogan as The Mega Powers. Both relationships dissolved in the following year when The Mega Powers exploded. Savage lost the title to Hogan at WrestleMania V, but his 371-day reign stands as the sixth longest of all time.

Randy Savage and his first wife Elizabeth

Changing his name to The Macho King, and now managed by Sensational Queen Sherri Martel, Savage enjoyed another career high at WrestleMania VII – putting on an incredible match with The Ultimate Warrior that had a retirement stipulation. Savage lost, but what happened after the match has become the most endearing feel good moment in wrestling. While he was down in the wrestling ring, his manager Martel was kicking him…it was one of the lowest points in his career. Then Miss Elizabeth ran into the ring from the crowd and fought Martel off. Savage and Elizabeth embraced in a moment that brought tears to the eyes of many in attendance.

Randy Savage reunited with Elizabeth after his defeat at Wrestlemania VII

Randy was back wrestling by the end of that year – ‘marrying’ Miss Elizabeth at SummerSlam 1991 and then entering a strong programme with Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts.

He won the WWE Championship for a second time at WrestleMania VIII.

From 1994, Savage became part of WCW – feuding with the likes of Ric Flair, Hogan, Lex Luger and Diamond Dallas Page. He won the WCW Heavyweight Title on four occasions.

Randy made his last WCW appearance in 2000, had a brief stint in TNA in 2004 but never returned to the WWE and has never been inducted into their Hall of Fame. It is said that Savage is the only wrestler Vince McMahon has flat out refused to work with, although the exact reason for the mammoth fall-out remains speculation.

His match with Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania III is still held up today, more than 24 years later, as arguably the best bout of all time.

Wrestlemania III Randy Savage versus Ricky the Dragon Steamboat

Miss Elizabeth - who Savage married in 1984 and divorced in 1992 - was found dead in 2003 from a drug overdose at the home of Luger, who was her boyfriend at the time.

Randy's brother Lanny Poffo, better known to WWE fans as The Genius, and dad Angelo Poffo were both also wrestlers. Angelo passed away last year aged 84.

Hulk Hogan, in his tribute to the Macho Man, said: "I'm completely devastated, after over 10 years of not talking with Randy, we've finally started to talk and communicate.

"He had so much life in his eyes and in his spirit, I just pray that he's happy and in a better place and we miss him."

The Rock told fans on Twitter: "RIP Randy Savage - you were one of my childhood inspirations and heroes.

Savage will be remembered as one of the greatest wrestlers and a key reason behind the early success of the WWE.

LinkedIn Corporation (LNKD), the social networking company geared to professionals, launched its IPO yesterday with a huge bang. The stock opened up for trading at $83 compared to its IPO price of $45 per share. Within a couple of hours the stock hit $122.69! That’s an increase of 172% from its $45 price! The stock closed at $94.25 per share at the end of its first day of trading.

The price gives the company a whopping valuation of $8.91 billion, for a company that had a net income of just $15 million in 2010, on revenues of $243 million.

On a very thin base of earnings, investors propelled its value from a mere 206 times its 2010 earnings of $0.17 a share to 584 by the end of the day. That’s 37 times the market average P/E of 16. It’s hard to imagine that the company will ever earn its way into a valuation of 584 times earnings.

Will LinkedIn be able to sustain this valuation and grow like a Google? Or are these prices a result from an over-excited market which will ultimately lead to a lower valuation?

LinkedIn, founded in 2003, is the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with more than 100 million members in over 200 countries and territories, which currently includes executives from every Fortune 500 Company. The company, with headquarters in Mountain View, California, has a diversified business model with revenues coming from member subscriptions, advertising sales and hiring solutions.

LinkedIn Headquarters

With a valuation similar to LinkedIn, Facebook would be valued at $100 billion and social buying site Groupon would be valued at $20 billion. Where LinkedIn has 100 million members, Facebook has 600 million. At $100 billion, Facebook would be worth more than twice the value of General Motors (GM), 66% more than Home Depot (HD), and 17% more than McDonald’s (MCD).

Apart from Facebook and Groupon, other internet companies that could soon make plans for an IPO are Twitter and Zynga.

Internet Bubble?

There is a huge difference between debt-fueled and equity-fueled bubbles. When the debt-fueled bubble burst in 2008, it destroyed $30 trillion in wealth. In comparison, the bursting of the 1995 to 2000 Internet Initial Public Offering (IPO) bubble wiped off a relatively paltry $6 trillion. It seems that IPO bubbles leave some value in their wake.